Man who played Captain America at Universal sent nude photos to girl

James Weldon Alton, 29, met girl while working as costumed hero at the theme park, affidavit says.

James Weldon Alton (Orange County Jail )

May 2, 2014|By Jeff Weiner, Orlando Sentinel

A Universal Orlando worker who played Captain America at the resort was jailed on Thursday, accused of exchanging sexual text messages and nude photos with a 16-year-old girl, an arrest affidavit states.

James Weldon Alton, 29, faces a charge of transmitting harmful material to a minor with an electronic device. He was booked into the Orange County Jail on Thursday and has bonded out, records show.

The victim's father called Maitland police this week after finding out about the texts and photos, including messages indicating Alton planned to meet the girl Friday at The Florida Mall, the affidavit says.

Police interviewed the teen, who said she met Alton at Universal, where he was working as Captain America. They began chatting "as friends," she said, but the conversations later became sexual.

The girl's father forwarded police screen shots of the texts, as well as photos of Alton's genitals, the affidavit says. Police determined the explicit photos were sent after the girl told him she was 16.

Police interviewed Alton, who said he took a photo with the girl at Universal, while in costume as Captain America. When she posted the picture online, he found it and commented, Alton reportedly said.

According to the affidavit, Alton told police he later swapped phone numbers with the girl and they began texting. Their conversations "turned explicit," he said, including eight to 10 photographs.

Alton acknowledged they set a "possible date" for Friday, and though she'd mentioned being under 18, "he thought it was a joke or that it was all just merely online flirtatious relationship," the affidavit says.

Alton said he used "poor judgment" in sending the photos and "did not know what he was expecting to receive" in return, the affidavit states. He was arrested and his phone was seized as evidence.

Tom Schroder, a spokesman for Universal Orlando, said Friday that Alton had been fired.